


Coming Full Circle

by mizmahlia



Category: Young Justice, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-10
Updated: 2013-07-10
Packaged: 2017-12-18 08:46:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/877893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizmahlia/pseuds/mizmahlia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Roy considers the events in his life up to his separation from Ollie and how they shaped him into the man he is today. Takes place late in season one, before the whole "Red Arrow is a clone" thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Full Circle

As a child, Roy Harper dreamed of saving those in need from the villains of the world. He trained constantly to make that dream come true, learning to use a vast number of weapons proficiently but he favored the bow. It was and always would be the bow.

The day Ollie brought him home and Roy became Speedy, it felt like he finally found where he fit, where he was supposed to be. Speedy complimented Green Arrow perfectly. When Roy grew older he started questioning that balance, wondering if it was actually Green Arrow who complimented Speedy. Roy wasn't arrogant about it, but he knew things had to change if he was going to stick around. He was growing restless and was tired of being told where to go, who to pursue and when.

He never told Green Arrow about his dreams and the fact he was never in them. Roy was always alone in his dreams of saving people. It was Speedy and _his_ bow and _his_ arrows doing what needed to be done. It wasn't until Green Arrow brought him to the Hall of Justice in D.C. that he realized no one believed in him, not enough to be a full-fledged member of the League, anyway. Truth be told, it was the catalyst Speedy needed to walk away from him.

He tried convincing Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad they were better than that, they could do more than just be the sidekicks of Batman, Flash and Aquaman. The stunned looks the young heroes gave him as he left made it pretty clear they weren't ready to be on their own just yet. He couldn't and wouldn't hold that against them. Sitting on that same bridge in Star City, where the two of them had fought the ice villian the day they left for the Hall, Roy realized there was really only one thing that still pissed him off.

He'd only been out on his own for a few weeks when he discovered Green Arrow had taken on another protege. Naturally, he looked into her. She was young, arrogant and inexperienced. Sure, she had some skills with a bow, but it didn't mean she was automatically League-material. Green Arrow normally shied from personalities that contrasted so sharply with his own.

Roy chuckled to himself when he realized Artemis was a lot like him when he was her age. He constantly questioned orders, procedure and nearly everything anyone ever taught him. It was a compliment, really, for him to take on someone so similar to Roy so soon after he left.

He hadn't missed the way Green Arrow's eyes lit up when he told everyone he'd already rescued Dr. Roquette from the League of Shadows, either. He was fortunate his first solo job went as well as it did. It felt good to know the members of the League noticed how well he was doing. Proving the League wrong wasn't his motivation for going after Roquette, but it was something he considered when making the decision.

As he watched the lights come on in the city as the sun set, he couldn't help but smile. The life he's living now, the one he used to dream about, was his. He'd made it.

Red Arrow was here to stay.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the acoustic version of the song "I Made It" by Kevin Rudolf.


End file.
